The New Lampizator Horizon DAC


On Saturday, I was lucky enough to be invited to the unofficial launch of the all-new Lampizator Horizon DAC in Los Angeles.  I have a Pacific and love it but I was intrigued to experience whether the Horizon was that much better.  So, My wife and I drove the 6 hours from Arizona to attend.  

The event had about 18 people in attendance and featured Lukasz Fikus, the owner and brains behind Lampizator.  We had a 5-hour listening session which included direct A/B comparisons between the Pacific and the Horizon, operating the Horizon without a preamp, and finally tube rolling.

My impressions were the Lampizator created a DAC that could change people's minds on comparing digital to vinyl,  The amount of detail, smoothness, clarity, speed was incredible.   For those interested in tube rolling the options are almost endless and I heard firsthand many different tube combinations which changed the SQ of the music.  Finally, at the end of the session, we ran the Horizon without a preamp.  The preamp used in the system was Lamm and the whole system was well over $700k.  So we are talking about a very high-end component grouping.   IMO, the Horizon DAC delivered about 95% of the sound without a Preamp.  It was super hard to discern any differences in SQ.

This DAC was so good that I ended up ordering one.  For anyone going to the Tampa Audio show, Lukasz Fikus will be there to officially launch the Horizon to the world this weekend.  It is definitely worth a listen.

 

willgolf

Makes me wonder why some people claim to afford luxury equipment and can’t bring themselves to invest in a little bit of finesse, comradely, and even the most rudimentary manners.
I should think some decency should be common, and not a luxury.

If a member of Audiogon is susceptible to outrage and scorn of those who happen to be in a position to live a lifestyle seemingly unobtainable to themselves, perhaps more fulfillment may be found elsewhere?

And to anyone claiming 1990’s technology is where we should have stopped in the World of performance in all things audio, technology has certainly moved along. The fastest computer, the fastest car and the best audio playback systems from the 90s are measurably and demonstrably lesser than today’s technology, where pioneering has compounded upon a World of information sharing and engineering advancement.

Whenever an emerging technology is evolving, requiring hundreds of man hours to develop, the cost of development rests heavily on the early up takers of it. This is how it’s done, we should all be aware of this, and not be angry or afraid that we’re missing out. Some people pay the higher price to pave the way for technologies to develop, then eventually the prices of mass produced items are more affordable and volume is attained at significantly lower costs to customers, and often by even better quality by the time it's affordable.

 

Great! Just what the world needs - a €44K DAC. Parts cost is probably $2K - I am being generous! Audio jewelry for the 1%.

It‘s called capitalism, if you are new to the west it may seem strange at first..

Now that the thread has settlled down, just want to say congratulation may it bring you joy.

 

If you do not mind at all - Could you take pictures of the internal of the DAC?

@havocman 

Re read my post 

The comment “ Your value analysis wasn’t asked for” was posted by @ghasley  

This was my own comment directed at @ghasley actually in your defence !

” Neither was your critique of what he said! But you went ahead anyway.”

I hope this clarifies my post. 

 

tsushima1

881 posts

@ghasley

@havocman

Your value analysis wasn’t asked for”

 

Neither was your critique of what he said! But you went ahead anyway.

@serjio

To begin, the private showing of the Horizon DAC was hardly an "advertisement" by or for an anointed few. The new owner extended an open invitation to all several hundred members of the "What’s Best Forum" and about 20 accepted his gracious hospitality to gather and hear a piece of gear in a collegial and private setting. Even you would have been invited had you known about it. It was hardly a secret. It was, in fact, a remarkable gesture of grace extended to audio and music lovers without prejudice (of which I doubt you are capable) for the type of gear they owned, the type of music they love, or their social or financial status.

Indeed, your remark that "the best DACs were made in the late 1990’s" justifies my last comment regarding your obvious bias. As long as you are free to post your unnecessarily hostile comments, may I suggest that sometimes, it’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.